Life is all about choices and attitude. Make the right choices, keep a positive attitude-- and you will find JOY through all of your ups and downs. Hope you enjoy my thoughts!

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My JOYFUL REFLECTIONS header picture is a picture taken on 10/20/16 on our visit to the Biltmore House and Gardens in Asheville, North Carolina. I had never seen so many different colors of Poinsettias before... These HOT Pink ones were gorgeous.

Friday, October 18, 2013

"Leaf Photo Op" Day Trip --10/14/13

On October 14, 2013, George and I took a FOURTEEN hour Day Trip to check out the Autumn Colors around our area. We started out in the Great Smoky Mountains; then we went on the Blue Ridge Parkway (from Cherokee to Waynesville, North Carolina); finally, we went on the Cherohala Skyway (between Robbinsville, NC and Tellico Plains, TN). We finished our day by eating a BBQ Dinner at Bradley's Restaurant on Highway 68 --on our way home!

What a fantastic day we had... The photo opportunities were numerous everywhere we went with the best Fall Colors at the higher elevations.... Today I will share just a few of the 800+ photos we took on Monday. Hope you enjoy seeing our area in Autumn.

Above is a photo of George and me taken along the Cherohala Skyway. Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.

Once we headed up the Great Smoky Mountains (on Highway 441 between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC)---notice the colors we began to see! When the sun hits those mountains, the colors really show off for us!

And look at our view from Newfound Gap (on top of the mountain ). We love seeing fog in the valley when we are in the mountains. (We did, however, run into that fog when we got on the Blue Ridge Parkway later!!!!)

Once we left Newfound Gap and drove over the mountain into North Carolina, we stopped at the overlooks along the way. Here is George standing at one of those overlooks. Aren't the trees gorgeous behind him?

AND--- here is what the mountains looked like in the Smokies --on a gorgeous Autumn day!

This is an interesting photo showing the sun and shadows on the Great Smoky Mountains. This photo was taken from one of the overlooks on the North Carolina side, not far from Newfound Gap (the top).

WELL---after seeing all of that fog, when we got to the Blue Ridge Parkway (between Cherokee and Waynesville, North Carolina), we did run through some of that fog... BUT--it was okay since we enjoy taking 'fog' photos also. This photo was taken at Woolyback Overlook, elevation 5,425 feet.

Here is a photo showing the colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Can you see the tunnel?????

I like this photo taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway showing the rocks and all of the colors..

Here is one of my favorite photos along the Blue Ridge Parkway. This was taken at Woodfin Valley (elevation 4,120 feet).

After leaving the Blue Ridge Parkway, we drove to Robbinsville, North Carolina and headed up the Cherohala Skyway (toward Tellico Plains, Tennessee)... We loved what we had seen in the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway, BUT when we got to the Cherohala Skyway, we saw even more Autumn colors!!!!

Here is a picture of me ---trying to get taller!!!!!! George is 6'4" and I am 5'5"... There are times that I can't see in order to get the best photos available!! SO---as I said on Facebook, "A Girl has Gotta Do what she's Gotta Do"!!! I'm not sure that picnic table was made for someone to stand on, BUT............. ha ha

This photo shows "God's Paintbrush in Action"--don't you think???? Aren't these colors marvelous? This photo was taken at an overlook on the Cherohala Skyway at the Shute Cove Overlook (elevation 2,660 feet).

This is a great photo which shows the vivid colors we saw on the Cherohala Skyway.

Here is one of my favorite photos from the Cherohala Skyway. I love seeing the shadows on the mountains ---and also where the sunshine is popping through. Wish you could have seen this in person... It just took my breath away! God is so GOOD.

I love SUNBEAMS... We were blessed to get to enjoy them off and on during the day. This was also taken as we traveled along the Cherohala Skyway.

Finally, here's one more photo of George and me taken at the Brushy Ridge Overlook on the Cherohala Skyway. Do you like our Patriotic Shirts???? We got them at Colonial Williamsburg!

WELL----that's our trip in a nutshell.... It was hard choosing which photos to include on this post since we both have SO many good ones... It was a perfect day in every respect --and I'm sure I'll include many more photos from this amazing day trip in the future.

Hope you have a wonderful week. I am taking a week off from
Blogging not only to get some yardwork done --but also to continue enjoying this
glorious Fall Season. I'll be back--hopefully with some more great photos--
on October 28...

Thank goodness for blog-friends, otherwise I would never get to see sights like this first hand, straight off the press so to speak!I can well imagine the dilemma of choosing the selection of photos you did choose to share Betsy! They are glorious! Truly.(PS: of course picnic tables are for the vertically challenged to stand on!!) :)xx

HI Betsy What a wonderful trip for George and yourself. All the shots are spectacular. Colours are amazing. I once sailed into Williamsburg when I was working as a volunteer on a hosptial ship called Mercy Ships. My daughter and I hired a bike and travelled round a park near where the ship was docked on our day off. Your post bring back memories of that. Thanks.

i can't believe all the color you have. I was in the middle of the state of WI this past weekend and there is very little color. You are way ahead of us. Your photos are beautiful and I sure enjoyed seeing them. Enjoy your time off.

Hi Betsy, Wow! How pretty. So glad you enjoyed seeing the colors of the Fall. The last time I was in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was a year ago. I do miss the Fall colors. Have a great day and a pleasant weekend!

You surely do make it hard to pick a favorite! :) These are all so beautiful. You picked a perfect day to go on this fall color trip. Eight hundred photos?!! It's sure a good thing we don't have to buy film anymore. :)

Gorgeous fall colors today! I love the fog photos. It seems like fall colors and fog go together. Your post made me want a cup of hot apple cider just looking at all the beautiful colors. Hope you have a great weekend.

Now folks can see why those of us who live near the Smokies refer to it as "God's Country!" Your photos are exquisite, Betsy! Thank you for doing your part to invite folks to come to our neck of the woods!

You know I LOVE your matching shirts!!! God sure did paint a beautiful fall for you and George to enjoy and share your wonderful pictures with us to see!!! The fall colors are spectacular in your area this year! Not so much right here where I live right now. I thought ours looked pretty good yesterday but after seeing your pictures it isn't that pretty here!

WOW! Your very first leaf picture, plus the last three before you and George, they are my very favorites!!!!! I have been up the mountain about three times this week, going to the big hospital in Charlottesville. NOTHING! But down here in the valley it is beautiful. I think this weekend will be the best time for our leaves, maybe even into Monday.

Hi Betsy!great pics! I adore the colours so much, we have had a very grey day so it's lovely to see such vivid beauty, your patriotic 't' shirts are fab, I love that you both match! I had a little giggle when I saw you standing on the picnic table!! x x have a lovely weekend x x

Dear Betsy, those colors leave me breathless. I can't imagine driving with all that beauty around you. I remember once, way back in the fall of 1972 when I was teaching in Claremont, New Hampshire. I was driving up on US Highway 1 or 3 or something like to Dartmouth. And the birches were so yellow. So brilliant with color that I had to pull over to the side of the ride and gaze my full. I had stopped breathing as I was driving and I knew I had to just pull over and absorb what I was seeing. Peace.

WOW! Your fall colors are just outstanding. We are still slow to color up here...it started in August then stopped. All the colors in the mountains are gone because of the snow. They didn't get to last very long at all.

Wow, you all are really getting some nice color. That shot at Woodfin Valley is awesome. We still don't have hardly any changes here yet. Of course we don't usually get it as nice as you do. Enjoy your time off. Get ready to put those plants to bed.

That was quite a marathon trip! Gorgeous colors, so it was sure worth the effort for you. Love those t-shirts, LOL. We ventured out to the Cherohola Skyway yesterday. The colors were pretty at the higher elevations on the TN side, but pretty much fallen off on the NC side. I managed to take a few pics! I understand the height problem since I am also short. The overlooks need some serious trimming because it is hard to see over the vegetation. We stopped at Tellico Grains, of course, for a delicious lunch & bread, and then Benton's for some smoked bacon (now all in the freezer). It was great to go somewhere beside the grocery store & UT Medical Center for a change.

Dear Betsy, you and George took this fabulous driving trip on my daughter's birthday!! She's 19 now, freshman at Mississippi State...how DID she grow so fast?! These photos of the amazing Autumn colors really make me feel good that nature continues on its' pathway. Also the smiles on your faces make me feel good and happy! Thank you :-)

Betsy, you and George captured some beautiful shots on your fun day trip....But I have to tell you my favorite ones are the ones of you and George.....I hope you both have fun this coming week on your time off.....

These are so beautiful. that area is so beautiful this time of year. You were more close to me than you knew. I live west of Robbinsville at Murphy. I have some relatives that live in Robbinsville. We try to get over that way every chance we get.. Thanks for sharing your beauty. Hugs, xo

Lovely pics and write up. Its a sort of home coming for me when I visit here. So glad to see the beauty in the other side of the world through your space. Have you been to Kerala by any chance? Welcome and prayers!!!

Beautiful shots, Betsy and even more beautiful colors. Love the long shots of the rolling hills. We have mostly greens out here because of the many evergreen trees and yellows because of the Larch, poplar and bigleaf Maples. beautiful none the less. It looks like you two had a fun time---the smiles are wonderful. MB

Betsy you and George are the champions of autumn leaf photo takers! I remember the first time I visited your blog and I saw a post you did about all the autumn reds and gold trees you saw on a trip...you had me hooked from then on!

I'm so glad you are taking all these wonderful trips and enjoying life! You are an inspiration!

Your colors are stunning! I don't think Wisconsin had that much red in all the trees while I was home. In fact, the maples were just turning when we were there this month. Such beautiful photos to kick start the season:)